I definitely recommend doing a video call with JP Teaches Photo! He is very good at explaining how to use a camera and gives great tips on how to take photos. He also helps you understand how different setting on a camera work to get the results you want in a photo! read more

I am very thankful to have found JP and his 3 hour beginner photo class on Groupon. I just started getting into photography last year with my Nikon D5300. I mainly shot photos in automatic mode while attempting to study the other modes, via YouTube videos and reading blogs. My last straw was after I took a trip to Antelope Canyon (look it up....it's a photographer's playground) and did not get the pictures I wanted. The beginning of the class was a little hectic since our class was over 20 people on a Saturday afternoon. JP and Jules helped set up everyone's cameras. I liked his teaching style, despite being the type of person who likes to memorize and take notes. Don't worry; he gives out a summary hand out at the end of the class. He had the class learn through a few exercises. We covered exposure compensation, aperture and shutter speed. The pace of the course was perfect and JP made sure everyone understood everything fully. I was amazed at how much I learned (and retained) in the 3 hours. At the end of the class, he offers an in-person discount for all of his other classes. I would highly recommend checking out this class; definitely worth the value! Thanks JP! read more

JP Teaches Photo is amazing. Literally one of the best purchases I have ever made. After the first class (which I purchased on GroupOn for $30), I immediately bought the 3 remaining (which you get at a discount - basically 3 classes for the price of 2 - $254). The 4 classes are as follows: 1) How to use my camera Part 1(you'll focus on exposure, aperture, and shutter speed) 2) How to use my camera Part 2 (you'll focus on flash, ISO, and white balance) 3) Lighting walk (you'll put together all 6 elements you learned in the 2 previous classes) 4) Night walk (you'll learn the ins and outs of the manual setting) I took my first 2 classes with JP, and he was kind, patient, generous, and just very knowledgeable about all types of cameras, settings, etc. After each class, I truly felt like I understood more about my camera, and I wasn't afraid to go out and practice what I learned. I've taken some great photos since, and I'm really happy that I have this skill now. I cannot recommend JP Teaches Photo enough. There's also an internship program, and all previous interns are now employed as photographers. If that doesn't tell you how worth it this class is, then I don't know what will. Take it. read more

Jp is an awesome teacher,he is direct to the point and explain everything in a simple manner.i finished both the night long exposure photo and the Part 1,would definitely go for the part 2 clss read more

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As someone who wanted to jump into the world of photography, and just bought a brand new dslr, JP's class was exactly what I needed. I took all three of his classes, the beginner's, advanced, and nighttime photography. The were all excellent. The beginner's was perfect to try and understand how the basic functions of a camera works. Advanced gave me a better understanding of my camera. And the nighttime/long exposure class was just a fun class that I learned so much from. I highly recommend JP's class if you're new to photography. read more

Fiance & I took his Intro Part 1 class yesterday. From the beginning exercise before the classroom instruction (non-snow days mean this portion is hosted in Central Park), the level of individual attention, practical examples to allow students to realize the theories deeply & the precise crisp yet humorous answers were very comforting about an otherwise stressful topic. JP's individual care, precise and very effective teaching method (reinforcing the theoretical with an immediate individual exercise, reminders to feel not memorize, practical tips for actually using taught lessons immediately) & careful explanations refined over years of teaching make this photo class uniquely effective. I highly vouch for the shared enjoyment of photography as the spirit vs rote memorization, clarity, thoughtful presentation, practical outcomes & overall teaching effectiveness. read more

So my husband got me class Part 1 on Groupon. It was a great deal. The address to the class is easy to get to. I learned so much from this class and to think it was only the first one is amazing. JP is a great teacher! He goes slow, he makes sure everyone is on the same page. His instructions and how he makes sense of things is on a level everyone can comprehend. I really loved that about this class! I have been using my camera a ton and using what I learned and have taken amazing photos. I bought the rest of the classes and will update again after part 2! read more

I took the photography class and an individual class with Lydia. She is fantastic. She is obviously a professional with loads of experience; however, she is able to explain and teach the basic contents of photography without a hint of judgement or frustration. I had virtually no experience with photography (besides utilizing my iPhone) however I am now able to understand how to change the settings to take the pictures I want to take. Highly recommend! read more

JP Teaches Photo - Practicing techniques learned in Part 1 Class - Photography Classes Near Me

This class was just what I needed. While I had been given some great books, and done some research on the web, I wasn't really confident with my DSLR and had generally been winging it. JP's instruction did exactly what I needed. He helped train my eye to see exactly how the settings on my camera affected my photos. Being able to immediately apply the knowledge in class helped cement it into my aging brain. I found JP engaging and patient, but never patronizing. There was a huge variety of people in the class and he made sure everyone got their questions answer. I've signed up for the next classes and can't wait! read more

I've been taking photography classes from several instructors over the past 5 years. JP is BY FAR the best instructor I've found. His promise to teach intuitive use of aperture and shutter speed was fulfilled. Exactly the approach I've been searching for! I highly recommend "How Do I Use My Camera - Part I" So looking forward to "Part II." read more

Purchased a cannon over the summer & really had no clue how to use it outside of the auto mode. Saw JP's class on groupons & decided to purchase it for two main reasons, the price & the fact that it is a hands on class with a live instructor vs. an online course. Scheduled the class (which was a breeze) & met up with JP & the other students in Central Park. JP is very knowledgeable & has a great ability to teach without it be overwhelming. One of the first instructions he gives is - "no note taking & no memorizing", which is perfect cs I have a horrible memory. The pace of the class is great for a beginner yet he's still able to answer questions & teach students with more camera knowledge. By the end of the class I felt 100% more comfortable & excited to start snapping away! Signed up for the next class (part II) before I left Central Park. Great buy! Thank you JP! Looking forward to the next one! read more

I've now taken 2 classes w/JP Photography and I've learned so much about my camera and better ways to use it that I feel like I can say I'm still a novice but really a bit more :-). I'm more comfortable with my camera and find myself taking photography to a higher level of interest and time pursuing this hobby. JP and Lydia are excellent teachers and create a very comfortable and fun environment to learn. I just signed up for my 3rd class. read more

JP Teaches Photo - JP doing a little dance for her students @BethesdaFountain - Photography Classes Near Me

I have taken 4 of JP classes and already prepaid for another. Every time I walk in to central park I get a sense I am in a special place and with JP I now have the skills to capture it. JP teaches in a sense that does not make you feel like a camera dummy but in a way to break down the simplicity of a seemingly complicated system. JP teaches you the key facts in the beginner class and expands with lighting adjustments in the advanced. If you would like to spend your day outside in stead of a stuffy classroom then sign up for his class! read more

The class was okay. Prior to purchasing the Groupon, I read some reviews. The majority of people are in awe with the class. I decided wht not try out the beginners class? I think Linda has a super cool spirit and is quite knowledgeable. Linda's friend, Brian was available to assist throughout the class time. However, he seemed disinterested at times. The class began outside across the street from the place of business with maybe 30 students. We found out about exposure compensation. We, then, went into the "classroom" for the lecture/hands-on portion. Linda stressed no memorization or note taking, rather learn by doing. The class ended outside on Seventh Avenue trying out a technique. I am interested in taking the night class when my schedule is more accommodating. Here are some things that would be beneficial. All people do not learn the same. Allow people to make the judgement on whether to take notes or not. We are all adults. The room should be equipped with a Smart Board and an Elmo. This would give the ability for everyone to be able to see more clearly the images that were shown on the iPad in the room. Also, the instructors would benefit from having their own cameras available. Less talk more hands-on activities. read more

Thanks to Groupon, I took the beginner class and the advance class over the summer with JP. JP is the perfect teacher - He's inspiring and knowledgeable. He'll give you the science of the camera/light/photography and then tell you what it means in layman's terms. You also get the chance to take photos using the techniques and see his examples on his iPad. Here's what I learned -- Beginner Class: - What auto does to your photos (the middle gray effect) - The basics of shutter speed, aperture, & exposure - The difference between motion blur and background blur Advance Class: - How to take photos in a low light (indoor/cloudy) setting - The basics of ISO, white balance, flash settings I had read blogs and books about photography in the past so I had some basic knowledge of how to use my SLR. The beginner class helped clear up some of my questions. I noticed that totally newbies struggled a little bit with all of the different settings. They had information overload. I'm not sure how good the class is for the point and shoot photographers because I was too busy figuring out what to do on my SLR camera. Hopefully, they gained just as much insight as I did! The only downside of the classes is that they include a lot of people. I think there are about 15-20 people in the class? Right after the class, I decided to purchase the night photography class that JP offered for 20% off. I can't wait to take that class! read more

JP is a really great instructor! He uses simple analogies to help you understand your camera and his (dry) sense of humor keeps you engaged throughout the session. At the end of class, he invited everyone to send him questions and even pictures that aren't coming out the way you want it to and he'll guide on you what you're doing wrong. I really appreciated that about him! The two classes I took were: how to use my camera 1 & 2. I found the first one to be really informative and practical. The second one was interesting but not as mind blowing and useful as the first one. I hear really good things about his night time class that I may take. read more

Had the opportunity and pleasure to take the Intro Part 1 class with JP this beautiful evening. Left central park with a new found confidence and excitement to take pictures of everything! JP you have a charisma to teach and explain photography in a way that is super easy for us rookies to understand. It was a pleasure to take your class. I'll be looking forward to taking the rest. Thanks again!! read more

I avoid photography classes, you tube lessons for my camera (I watched one but still had no idea how to use it, and don't ever THINK ABOUT my opening up a manual! When I heard that JP Pullos' class would be 'hands on' and easy - even for MEEEE - I trusted the person who told me (JP himself) but I had to experience it to believe it. The most amazing thing about the class was how each second was used on point, on purpose, usefully.... each word he chose was thought-out. I taught second grade for 20 years, and as a teacher went off on tagents, was not as precise and distinct with each and everything he taught. He didn't sit there with a 'script' but it was that generated, I won't use the word "MEMORIZED" because that (to me) sounds cold and boring! He also took time with each person, to make sure we "got' whatever the concept he was teaching at that particular time. Before you even go to the class, he sets you up powerfully with where to find him, how to find him, and how to reach him if you are late. He tells you what to wear (the weather is getting colder) and empowers you before you even get there! He gives you a handout when you leave to 'brush up' on the concepts taught in the three fast hours! I think I've said enough. Take the beginners' class, then see about the others after that! read more

I have now taken both of the intro classes with JP. I highly recommend taking classes with him if you are interested in bumping up your photography skills. He makes it very easy to understand how to use all of your camera functions and what it all means. Part one of his class is great for anyone who just bought a slr and doesn't know how to use the manual settings. Part 2 goes further into more advanced settings and understand how to deal with certain lighting situations. He takes you around Central Park and uses a hands on approach to taking great photos. read more

JP is a wonderful and great teacher, he really knows his stuff. I took his nighttime/long exposures class and I learned so much. (Also came home with fabulous photos!) I was visiting from CA and my sister bought this class for me as a Christmas gift, best gift ever! JP is very easy to learn from and his techniques will stick with me forever, which is a plus. He's a photography master! Sign up, you won't regret it :) read more

I love the way JP teaches. Lots of energy and enthusiasm! I like how he approaches the learning process: no notes takes, no memorising! Although I already knew quite a bit, JP was able to connect all my tidbits of knowledge and make me a better photographer overall! A shame it was too cold to spend a lot of time outside of the classroom. Looking forward to giving to Central Park for the night photography. If I had to name one thing to improve, I'd say the sales pitch for the next course could be a bit shorter. read more

I have now taken 4 classes with JP Teaches Photo and I can say that I am now much more comfortable with my big, expensive, fancy camera and all of its intimidating buttons. Classes are generally 10-12 people. The Part I class takes place partially in a classroom and partially out on the street taking photos. You learn about exposure compensation, aperture and shutter speed. In the Part II class, which takes place in Central Park (begins prior to sunset and ends when it's dark) you learn ISO, white balance, fill-flash and about foreground and background light. In the Nighttime Photography class, which takes place in Central Park after dark, you learn to take amazing pictures in almost total darkness. For the nighttime class you need to bring a tripod. The Lighting Walk class, also held in Central Park, takes place during the day and you will need to have a flash. The flash that comes standard built-in to your camera is perfect but if you need help with a larger, external flash they will also help you out with that. In this class you will practice using all of the skills from the earlier classes while learning to really look at light and make on the spot decisions about what settings you will use to get the kind of photos you want. While many of the students taking these classes do have big fancy cameras, these classes can also be taken with any point and shoot camera as long as the various settings mentioned above can be accessed and manipulated. I have taken what I have learned on my fancy camera and used it with both my pocket point and shoot and waterproof sports cameras. The instructors I had were JP, Lydia (twice) and Paul and each of them was very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to work with. They definitely make you feel comfortable asking questions while encouraging you to play with the settings on your camera and learn through the hands on approach. They will communicate with you through email following classes if you have any questions or issues and they also email you a basic overview of what you learned following the Part I and II classes (so you really don't need to take notes). **Tip** When meeting for the classes at Central Park be on time and look for other people with their cameras out hanging around the meeting location and anxiously looking around for others taking the class. Trust me, you'll find the group, especially when the instructor arrives. Instructors always show up on time, magically find their students and check off everyone's names before moving into the park. read more

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I had the beginner and advanced photo class last weekend, one after the other, and they were both very informative and helpful. They seem short but the way JP teaches made sense and made it easy and to quickly learn a lot in a short amount of time. He was very professional but also had a good sense of humor. I've taken a college photography class before so I knew some of the basics already, but it had been a while and I forgot some things. This was a really good review and I learned a few more things. It was great to be outside in Central Park also, even though we had a to hide a little when it started raining, but I never felt my time was getting wasted even then. read more

I took JP's beginner photo class last weekend in Central Park, and got value out of it within the first five minutes. I have a Nikon DX 3000 that I have been using on automatic settings for the past year. JP talked through some pretty complex topics in a way that made them much easier to understand. After taking the class, I have a better grasp on what "levers" are available to pull on a given shot, which I think is a great place to start. I plan to take his advance class to solidify my learnings, and just get more practice working with the concepts. JP is hilarious; he has a very dry, deadpan sense of humor that will have you laughing as you stumble through tough concepts. He is also so generous; I had a friend cancel last minute, and he didn't make me feel bad about it, or seem at all upset. He also offered to help us via email after the class, which is AMAZING. I actually emailed him from an event that I was at on Friday, in distress related to something having to do with my camera, and he responded within the hour. So nice! Enjoy the class!! read more

I took the Part 1 class using my Living Social voucher on June 28, 2014. I bought myself a DSLR for Christmas and had barely touched it because I didn't want to just use the Auto mode, I wanted to understand how to use it. JP definitely helped with that and more. Since taking the class I've been obsessed with my camera; I carry it everywhere and have taken hundreds of pictures. I'm not afraid to play or experiment with it. JP helped me understand the creative modes on my Canon, what they meant, how and when to use them. He was very patient with our small group (about 12 of us), spoke clearly, and was very open to any and all questions we had about our cameras, lenses, and photography in general. At the end he gave us the opportunity to buy vouchers for his other classes at a discounted rate. I bought one and am looking forward to taking it later this year. read more

Probably the best photography class I've ever taken. Lydia and Tyler were extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful! They were very attentive and addressed all questions we had. In addition the hands-on exercises helped me understand my camera even more. I'm looking forward to taking the next course. You guys are awesome! read more

JP Teaches Photo - One of the handful of exercises during the three hour course. - Photography Classes Near Me

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I took JP's night photography class in Central Park. For beginners and people with very little knowledge of photography, this was probably an awesome class. For someone with a bit more experience, I don't think it's worth it. A decent number of people in the class were using a point and shoot, so a lot of time was spent explaining the basics of photography (e.g. shutter speed vs. aperture). The best part of the class was the locations we shot from. The Bethesda Terrace is where the class ends, and is certainly a great place to go for this sort of thing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethesda_Terrace read more

I am very disappointed that JP doesn't teach algebra or how to clean your room. He is an amazing teacher with expansive knowledge of photography and cameras. Did I mention he is an amazing teacher?? I stumbled on a groupon for a beginner class for the weekend we were in NYC. Got it for my 13 year old son, who is just getting into photography, but also has the attention span of a puppy. Fingers crossed.... JP was there, and as he signed people in it was clear that he knew how to set and use every camera there. He was friendly and easy to talk to. After the class, I asked my son how it was. "Fine", he said with a shrug..... ugh, teenagers..... and then he spent the next few hours trying (in vain) to explain all the cool things he had learned, and all the things he wanted to try. Not only did JP teach him how to use his camera - so many buttons!!!! - but how to use it well. I can't list out what he learned... way over my head. But I can tell you that he managed to inspire a teenager to learn more. That alone was worth the full price. JP, next time we are up in the city, we will be back for another class. Thank you!!! read more

I found out about JP through Groupon and since I read good reviews about him, I decided to give his beginner's class a try. I've been taking pictures for years but I wanted a class to really GET the concepts and improve my pics. JP does an excellent job in doing that in a group setting. For his class you don't really need a DSLR. I have a Canon G11 and it was perfect for his class. Others in the class had compact cameras and he was still able to work with those individuals. JP is knowledgeable, patient and natural teacher. He breaks down the concepts for people like me to understand. We all met a the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then headed over to Central Park. It was a great place to meet, which made for a relaxed setting. I will definitely try his night time class. read more

Took the Beginner course and was amazed at how much we learned in 3 hours. If you've tried learning to use your camera with books or YouTube videos and still aren't getting the hang of it, you need to take this class. JP was a great instructor who is passionate about teaching photography. Excited to take the other classes! read more

I took JP's nighttime photography class at Central Park last weekend. Very informative and fun. At different location spots, I got chances to test out DSLR settings and tripod maneuvering. JP gave us free rein to test out different settings with different spots, so it was more of a trial and error to see which camera setting (be it shutter speed, ISO, aperture, etc) will enhance the location you're shooting. And since Central Park in the winter (after Hurricane Sandy) was extra quiet at night, it was reassuring to have someone guide you thru the park. Learned about manual focusing with my camera and will most likely use it more now~ It's a very open environment, so the more questions you ask, the more you will learn. Definitely recommend having a tripod for the nighttime class, as you can choose where to be versus where you can prop your camera. read more

I'm a self-taught photographer who was looking to fill in some gaps in my knowledge, so decided to take a private lesson with Lydia. She really gave me the validation I needed to feel more confident in my work. She was very easy to talk to, and really helpful in quelling my insecurities about whether choices I made with images were "right" and "okay." She reminded me that a lot of it is subjective, and as long as the client is happy that it's all good. She was also helpful when it came to reviewing the balance and type of images I have in my various website portfolios. Because I chose to use the lesson as a means to review work and not create new images, I can't necessarily say I walked away with any new tricks of the trade or techniques. But that was entirely my doing, not Lydia's! We talked about having our next lesson at a computer, with photoshop, and I think that will help me develop some new skills. I would highly recommend a lesson with Lydia! read more

JP is a great teacher for beginner photographers! I found the Photography 1 class on Groupon and decided to purchase it after reading all the rave reviews. They did not steer me wrong. JP is very knowledgeable and is able to teach you the settings on nearly every kind of camera. I've since gone on to purchase more classes directly and have been pleased with all of them. I am not a professional photographer, but I've learned a great deal about aperture, shutter speed and other settings. read more

I recently took the Long Exposure Class which takes place in Central Park at night. Lydia was great but the class is geared towards all levels of experience. As a result, there was not a ton of instruction given, just the basics about how to set up the tripod, etc. So for much of the evening, we were left on our own in terms of setting ISO, aperture, shutter speed etc. Having said that, it was still a very good opportunity to practice and get more comfortable with long exposure photography in a very beautiful setting in Central Park. read more

I've never been able to understand the manual controls on my camera and this class was the perfect intro into finally understanding aperture and shutter speed. JP is super clear and seems to know how every camera works. His whole focus is to liberate you so you can start taking great pictures right away rather than getting hung up on jargon or persnickity rules about correct ways to take a picture. I'm going to Spain in a couple of days and I'm excited to be able to practice what I learned and take some beautiful pictures of my trip. And I'll definitely be signing up for his advanced class and his new class on lighting when I get back! read more

It was pretty great, though the price was a bit steep for us to be there after our groupon ended.

I bookmarked Jp teaches about a year ago i faced my fears and took the beginners class it was one of the best days of my life . Questions were answered that didn't have to be asked . Thorough interesting and fun . I agree with all the positive reviews Lydia is my "Shero". I'm looking forward to taking more classes here . read more

After taking his part I beginner class, will luckily never look at my camera the same way... or my pictures more importantly! I loved JP's teaching style. It didn't make me feel like I was in a class at all and he removed any pressure to memorize which I loved (since I'm one to naturally start doing so). He is obviously extremely knowledgable and it went so smoothly. I am definitely going to take his part II class. I didn't sign up for it right after only because I feel like I need some time for all of the info to sink in and practice it a bit beforehand. If you're looking for a fun day in Central Park and a no-pressure way to use your camera better, definitely take this class. read more

Attended the beginner class this weekend with my boyfriend. We shared a DSLR which was no problem during the lesson. The class was fun and very informative - I feel much more empowered to use my very expensive camera, which is exactly what I was looking for from this lesson. JP is a great teacher, very patient and helpful. Would definitely recommend! read more

Strangely, I am writing a recommendation but have not taken a course from JP Teaches Photo. I researched NYC photo courses and decided JP was the best. I booked a course but had to cancel because of scheduling conflicts. However, the professionalism and friendliness with which the folks at JP Teaches Photo treated me have to be a tribute to the quality of everything they do. If I can schedule myself to be in NYC at the right time, I will definitely enroll in a course. read more